Lane splitting is the practice of motorcyclists passing slower moving cars by riding in between them. Right now, California has taken a major step forward as far as officially allowing lane splitting.
A new bill makes California the first state in the country to make lane splitting legal. The bill was prompted after a citizen’s complaint was filled with the California Highway Patrol. Law enforcement agencies had previously treated lane splitting as implicitly allowed.
California Highway Patrol guidelines outlined suggestions for how motorcyclist could safely follow through on this practice. However, citizen complaints pushed forward a public policy response.
Supporters of the bill say that lane splitting helps to minimize traffic congestion by allowing cyclist to move more quickly through traffic. However, there are many people who oppose this law, arguing that it would promote an unsafe and even deadly practice.
Others felt as though motorcyclist being able to move in and out of traffic was extremely aggravating as well. In 2013, nearly 5000 motorcyclists were killed in accidents across the country.
California`s fatality rate for motorcycle accidents was slightly lower than the national rate but the national traffic safety administration indicated the motorcycles had a 26 times higher likelihood of being killed in a motor vehicle accident when compared with other types of motorists.
If you have already been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact a personal injury lawyer today to learn more about your rights.